By David McCullagh and Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
There were only three "adequate" Belfast restaurants in 1998, an Apollo 11 lunar rock was destroyed in a fire and Britain's extraordinary lengths to destroy the reputation of Roger Casement are some of the other things we learned from the State Papers.
Belfast had only three 'adequate' restaurants in 1998, officials told
Only three restaurants in Belfast were up to scratch for entertaining contacts, according to diplomat Eamon McKee, who was based in the city.
In a note to headquarters in August 1998, he sought approval for spending over the limit on entertainment, on the grounds that only three restaurants in Belfast were "of adequate calibre" – Deans, Roscoffs and Mizuna.
"There is a major difference in the standards beyond these and it is not tenable, acceptable or efficacious to entertain key contacts in the lesser quality restaurants".
Mr McKee was obviously doing his job well, he got immediate agreement to keep going to the posh eateries, along with a commendation for the quality of his reports. [Based on documents in 2022/49/79]
Apollo 11 lunar rock destroyed in Dunsink fire
It made it safely all the way back from the Moon, only to lie in a government basement for three years and then get destroyed in a fire.
A sample of lunar rock collected by the Apollo 11 mission was presented to President Éamon de Valera in April 1970 by the US Ambassador.
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But officials were unsure of what to do with it, so it was left in the basement of a Government Department for three years, before being transferred to Dunsink Observatory; four years later, it was destroyed in a fire at Dunsink.
One small step for a rock, one giant leap for Irish officialdom. [Based on documents in 2024/5/67]
SF 'prevented' anti-Ahern graffiti
Sinn Féin claimed to have prevented disgruntled residents of West Belfast from criticising taoiseach Bertie Ahern in graffiti in May 2003.
Senior party figure Jim Gibney told an Irish diplomat that many republicans resented the government for allegedly siding with the British on the issue of IRA decommissioning.
However, he said, Sinn Féin had dissuaded locals from expressing their disapproval in paint on a mural in Beechmount. They had apparently planned to refer to the taoiseach as "Bertie Trimble". [Based on documents in 2024/130/48]
British gave US copy of Casement’s alleged ‘Black Diaries’
The British authorities went to extraordinary lengths to destroy the reputation of Roger Casement after he was sentenced to death for his role in the Easter Rising.
In order to defuse an American campaign calling for his reprieve, they wanted to send the British Ambassador in Washington a copy of the so-called "Black Diaries", detailing Casement’s alleged homosexual activities.
The job was given to naval intelligence officer Captain Colpoys Cleland Walcott, who sailed to the US under the watchful eyes of four armed marines.
Walcott was also given £20 million worth of bonds as a cover story to explain his trip. [Based on documents in 2022/25/865]
JFK was ‘apathetic’ to ending partition
Despite his Irish roots, the young John F Kennedy had little knowledge of Irish history and no interest in ending partition.
Irish diplomat Robert Brennan took Kennedy to lunch in November 1945 and was disappointed to find him "apathetic" on the unification issue.
Kennedy couldn’t see why the United States should take an interest in the issue.
If there was another war (which he thought likely), and a united Ireland remained neutral, America would not have access to Northern Ireland bases which had proved crucial in World War II.
Like all great powers, he told Brennan, the United States would always look out for its own interests and everything else was "sentimental twaddle". [Based on documents in 2022/25/796]
